Common Council Budget Workshop Session 2 – April 14, 2026

The Common Council held the second budget workshop for fiscal year 2026-2027 on April 14, 2026. Department directors presented their proposed budgets, answered council questions, and highlighted the impacts of proposed cuts. No formal votes were taken; the workshop was for discussion and feedback.

Town Clerk's Office

• Ashley Flynn Natale, Town Clerk, presented a zero-based budget with a slight increase in full-time salaries due to the 466 collective bargaining agreement. The department’s operating budget is $349,000, while it generates approximately $1.5 million annually through conveyance taxes and fees (revenue exceeding expenditures). Rates are set by state statute.
• Request: If additional state funding becomes available, restore the Land Record Special Projects Clerk position at $87,256 (previously eliminated, reducing staff from five to three). The position is critical for handling increased statutory workload.

Registrars of Voters

• George Sudo and Patricia Austin described their budget as largely state- and federally mandated, with costs for elections, early voting, training, storage, and supplies. They are returning at least $125,000 in unused funds from the prior fiscal year due to no primaries in 2025. Both parties are expected to hold primaries in 2026, increasing costs.
• Request: Restore the requested stipend increase from $26,000 to $72,000 each. Patricia Austin announced she will not seek reelection, citing the low stipend and loss of benefits despite greatly increased workload. They noted the hourly rate is only slightly above the state minimum wage. Council members expressed appreciation for their work.
• Council questions focused on salary justification (compared to other towns), the cost of benefits (estimated at $12,000), and the impact of reduced tabulator training funding (reduced to $1, but a 102-page manual has been created to compensate).

Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity Management

• Faith Jackson presented a zero increase budget, with a reduction in the contract line item. The office ensures compliance with mandatory sexual harassment training for all city employees. No questions were raised; council commended her performance.

Land Use

• Mirak Kazakowski, Land Use Director, presented a flat budget excluding salaries ($34,951 in non-salary expenses). The department administers planning, zoning, wetlands, and design review boards. Revenue from fees is expected to double to about $26,000 after a recent fee schedule update (first increase in 24 years).
• Request: Restore funding for the Assistant Planner position (currently frozen at $1). The vacancy forces the director to spend 2-3 hours daily on routine inquiries, reducing time for special projects. The assistant planner also serves as backup for board meetings and supports zoning enforcement.

Economic & Community Development and Parking

• Christine Marks, Director, presented a proposed 5% increase, but the mayor’s budget reduced it. Key concern: the Meter Monitor and Collections position is funded at $1. This full-time position repairs meters, performs collections, and enforces parking regulations. With only one parking enforcer left, revenue from increased parking rates and citations may not materialize. There are approximately 500 meters citywide.
• Other Accomplishments: Secured 10 leases ($422,000 over 5 years), three tax-fixing agreements, grants including a $12 million CIF grant for 339 Main Street, and completion of EV chargers and fire alarm upgrades.
• Request: Fund the meter monitor position (salary ~$86,069) and restore $10,000 for appraisals and $40,000 for emergency maintenance at 80 Harbor Drive.

Water & Sewer Department

• Director Joe Fasino noted the department is a special revenue fund, operating solely on rates. Proposed water rate: $4.67 per 100 cubic feet (0.59% increase); sewer rate: $8.75 per 100 cubic feet (4.3% increase). Uncontrollable costs (insurance, debt service) drove increases. Outstanding delinquent accounts total nearly $4 million.
• Request: Add an Account Clerk II (split between water and sewer, full-time) to focus on delinquent collections and customer service. The position would report to an accounting supervisor. Also, a new written policy for hardship adjustments is being drafted.
• Council questions addressed billing cycles (quarterly vs. semi-annual), the delinquency collection process, and health insurance cost increases (water: +$200,000; sewer: projected $477,984 to over $1 million).

Technology Services

• Brianna Escavera, Director, presented a budget that is 5.7% below fiscal year 2026, achieved by switching cellular providers, retiring an expensive application, deferring data center hardware upgrades, and reducing consulting costs. Additional cuts of $10,000 were made to capital and website accounts without consultation.
• Requests: Restore $4,000 for website hosting and social media archiving (contracted services), and fully fund line 52 (Harbor Park security and networking) at $17,000. Also, restore funding for police department desktops and other capital items to prevent having only one or two spare devices citywide.
• Council questions focused on the impact of deferring hardware and the police department’s SQL server replacement. The director emphasized cybersecurity investments have prevented major outages.

Office of General Counsel / Human Resources Division

• Brig Smith, General Counsel, presented a flat budget with minimal operational cuts. The mayor’s budget places the Insurance and Benefits Coordinator position at $1. This position handles front-line employee and retiree inquiries, enrollments, claims, and supports the wellness program. The current temporary occupant will leave June 30 if not restored.
• Wellness Program Highlights: Chronic condition prevalence increased only 1% over three years (statewide trend: 3-4% annually). Biometric screenings led to early cancer detection for one employee. 186 actionable findings were identified in recent cancer screenings.
• Request: Restore the position at $80,869 to maintain service levels and support risk management (the only such position in the state combining medical, workers’ comp, and liability).

Finance Department

• Director Carl Urlacher described the Tax Collector budget: five salaried staff, slight increase for leasing company fees. Delinquent real estate taxes total $7.6 million. Collection efforts are improving after staffing shortages. A Chief Management Analyst was moved to Public Works to help process purchase orders.
• Council questions covered gasoline costs ($210,000 flat) and electricity (potential overruns due to newly acquired meters from Board of Education facilities).
• Pension Update: The pension fund is well-funded ($550 million). The recent $3 million increase in contribution is due to a smoothing of returns over four years (average 3.03% return). Future contributions may stabilize if market performance holds.

Key Outcomes

• No votes taken; the workshop was for discussion. Council will consider the testimonies and requests as they finalize the fiscal year 2026-2027 budget.
• Critical requests for restoration (all currently at $1 in the mayor’s proposed budget):
  • Land Record Special Projects Clerk (Town Clerk) – $87,256
  • Registrar stipend increase (from $26k to $72k each) – total $92,000
  • Assistant Planner (Land Use) – salary not specified
  • Meter Monitor and Collections (Parking) – $86,069
  • Account Clerk II (Water & Sewer) – split salary
  • Insurance and Benefits Coordinator (General Counsel/HR) – $80,869
  • Technology Services: $4,000 (website) and $17,000 (Harbor Park security) plus other capital items totaling ~$10,000.
• Council expressed appreciation for departments’ work and directed staff to provide additional information (e.g., meter counts, health insurance details) for final deliberations.